Where to Race This Weekend – North West, North Wales & West Midlands
Updated: 2 days ago
Looking for somewhere to race this weekend?
One of the things we'd like to start doing at The Friendly Bike Mechanic is highlighting some of the grassroots racing happening around us, particularly across North Wales, the North West and the West Midlands.
Whether you've got a young rider who fancies having their first go at racing, you're looking for somewhere different to ride, or you're already spending most Sundays standing in a muddy field with a pressure gauge in your hand, there's normally something happening somewhere!
So, what's on this weekend?
North West – The Horwich Humdinger
It's Round 3 of the North West Cyclo-Cross League this Sunday, with Horwich Cycling Club hosting the wonderfully named Horwich Humdinger at Leverhulme Park in Bolton.
And the Humdinger has a bit of history too — it's been running since 1979.
Leverhulme is normally a fairly quick cyclocross course, but with enough technical sections to keep things interesting. This year there's another little twist, as the course is being raced in the opposite direction.
There's racing throughout the day, starting with the younger riders and continuing through Youth, Junior, Senior and Masters categories.
We're heading to Leverhulme Park ourselves, so we're very much looking forward to seeing what the reversed course is like.
If you've never tried cyclocross before, the North West league is well worth keeping an eye on. There are rounds throughout the autumn and winter at venues across Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Cheshire, Merseyside and Cumbria, with racing for young children right through to adults.
Race information: North West Cyclo-Cross Association – Horwich Humdinger
More races:North West Cyclo-Cross Association
North Wales – Go-Ride MTB at Nant BH
For our younger mountain bikers, there's also the final round of the North Wales Go-Ride Racing MTB Series at Nant Bwlch yr Haearn — Nant BH — near Llanrwst.
The racing there is organised by Dyffryn Conwy MTB Club, who are based at Nant BH and have done a huge amount over the years to get young people riding and racing mountain bikes.
And one of the things I really like about the North Wales Go-Ride MTB series is that it isn't simply about who can get around the course fastest.
Each event combines a cross-country race with a skills test.
That's important.
We want to develop fast young riders, of course, but Beicio Cymru is also trying to develop skilled bike riders — young people who can balance, control their bike, choose lines and actually handle a bicycle properly.
The skills section gives them a chance to demonstrate that.
And, from what I've seen, quite a lot of the kids actually really enjoy it.
One important reminder, though:
Don't leave before you've done the skills test!
It's surprisingly easy to finish the race, start packing everything away and completely forget that there's another part of the event still to do.
Both elements form part of the series, so make sure you get them both done.
Nant BH is also a fantastic place for young riders. With purpose-built mountain bike facilities and Gwydir Forest surrounding it, it's a proper mountain biking environment rather than simply a field with some tape around it.
West Midlands – Baggeridge Cyclo-Cross
Meanwhile, the West Midlands Cyclo-Cross League heads to Baggeridge Country Park for Round 5, hosted by Halesowen A&CC.
And Baggeridge sounds like exactly what you want from a cyclocross course.
Technical twists and turns through the woods, steep banks, tricky sections and, depending on what the weather decides to do, possibly plenty of mud.
In other words: proper cyclocross.
This year's race is being organised by father-and-daughter team John and Beth Crumpton.
John was involved in establishing the Baggeridge cyclocross race for Halesowen in the first place, while Beth has raced cyclocross both domestically and internationally and has since been involved in coaching and organising.
It's also worth mentioning that you don't have to be a West Midlands league member just to have a go at one of their races.
That's something people sometimes don't realise about local racing. You don't necessarily need to commit to an entire league or suddenly decide that you're now a Serious Cyclist™.
You can enter a race, turn up and give it a go.
And you don't need the world's most expensive cyclocross bike either. A safe and suitable bike, a helmet and a willingness to get a bit muddy will get you a surprisingly long way.
What about TLI racing?
We'll also be keeping an eye on TLI Cycling events around North Wales, the North West and the West Midlands.
TLI racing can be another really accessible way into grassroots competition, particularly for adult riders, so whenever there's something happening locally we'll include it here too.
The idea isn't for these posts to cover one particular type of cycling.
If it's local, accessible and gets people riding bikes, we want to know about it.
Get out and have a go
That's three very different events in three different regions this weekend.
A North West cyclocross race with decades of history.
A youth mountain bike event where bike-handling skills matter as well as speed.
And a proper woodland cyclocross course in the West Midlands.
But they've all got something in common.
They're grassroots cycling events, largely made possible by clubs, coaches, commissaires, marshals and volunteers giving up their time so that the rest of us have somewhere to race.
So if you've thought about racing but haven't quite taken the plunge yet, have a look at what's happening around you.
You genuinely don't have to be the fastest person there.
Turn up. Have a go. Learn something. Meet some cycling people.
And if you're already racing...
We'll probably see you standing in a muddy field somewhere.
Have a great race!
We'll be back after the weekend with some of the results and highlights from racing across North Wales, the North West and the West Midlands.
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